Difficult reading coming up... Sorry.

Chapter 21: Coyote Ugly.

Lauren opened her eyes, wincing as pain shot through her head. It took a couple of minutes before she could place where she was. Actually it was more a case of working out where she wasn't. She most definitely wasn't in her room. She tried to remember what had happened the night before but there were only flashes of broken images that came back to her. She tried to move from the bed she was in and it was about that time she realised she wasn't alone... which made sense if she wasn't in her room. She turned her head and looked over her shoulder, seeing the random guy with his arm draped over her body. She wished she could say this was the first time this had happened... but unfortunately it wasn't. It was the first time since the arrangement with Joey started though.

As carefully as she could she slid out of the bed, managing to not wake him which was a blessing. She didn't even know his name. So embarrassing! There wasn't one part of her that didn't ache and her heart sank when she realised she was naked. FUCK! She located what she could of her clothes... although her knickers were nowhere to be found and dressed quickly, trying to sneak out of the room without him waking. As she did she caught her appearance in a mirror on the wall and while the shame she saw on her face was clear it was the rest of her appearance that made more of an impact on her.

*JL*JL*

She was marginally more successful in finding the rest of her belongings and then she was out of the flat. It was still dark outside and she had no idea where she was so she began to walk down the street, hoping she'd find somewhere she was more familiar with.

She tried again to remember all of the details from the night before but she couldn't and there was a little part of her that didn't want to remember, knowing it would just make her feel worse. As she found herself back out on a main road she could see a taxi driving down the road and she held her arm out to flag it down.

The driver was reluctant to stop as he was about to finish his shift but when he saw Lauren he agreed and soon he was driving in the direction of Walford... apparently, as Lauren still didn't really know where she was.

She staggered from the cab about forty minutes later, giving the driver all of the money she had and thanking him. She stood outside the building for a couple of minutes, shivering as the cold began to settle in her bones. She took a deep breath and pushed open the door, making her way up the stairs and going into the room.

*JL*JL*

He woke with a start and he realised he wasn't alone. He stared towards the door and knew instantly who was standing there. "Lauren?" he said softly.

"Joe..." she whispered and he could hear tears in her voice.

He turned on a lamp and sat up in the bed. He looked back at her and fire ignited in his blood. He was standing in front of her within seconds. "Who did this to you, babe?" he asked, his hand caressing her bruised face.

Lauren lifted a hand and put it over his mouth, "Please... I don't want to talk... I don't want to remember... I just want my best friend to hold me in his arms and tell me everything is going to be okay." She whispered plaintively.

He couldn't say no to her request and he wrapped his arms around her, brushing his hand up and down her back when he felt her body begin to shake as the tears were finally released. "It's okay, babe." He murmured to her softly. "I've got you. Everything will be okay." He added. He pulled her over to the bed and she willingly followed him. Soon they were lying together, like they had so many times before but, to Joey at least, this time felt different. Lauren was still crying and he wished there was some way he could make her feel better. He glanced down at her as her head lay on his chest and he could see the darkening bruise around her eye and cheek. He felt the anger start to build within him again but he pushed it away, not wanting to upset her further. Now was not a time for recriminations, now was a time for him to be there for his best friend; for the girl he loved.

*JL*JL*

After half an hour Lauren had calmed down. "Do you want to tell me what happened?" he asked her gently. She shook her head. "I didn't even see you leave last night..." he said. "One minute you were there and the next you were gone."

"Joey, please... I told you I don't want to remember what happened."

"Are you telling me you can't remember last night?" he asked as he lifted her chin with his finger so she was looking at him.

"Bits and pieces..." she whispered.

"Do you think you were drugged?" he asked.

"I don't think so... I'm not sure. I was probably just drunk." She admitted.

"Beside the bruises on your face, did he do anything else?" he asked.

"I don't think so..." she repeated, her voice so quiet he had to strain to hear it.

"Should we be going down to the police station?"

"I told you, Joey... I don't remember what happened. I don't even know where I was and I don't know his name. I just want to forget everything that happened and go back to normal... or as normal as my life can be, anyway." She yawned after she finished speaking.

"Get some sleep, babe..." he said softly before pressing his lips against her hair. Despite the awful circumstances it felt good to have her in his arms again.

*JL*JL*

Lauren opened her eyes, wincing as pain shot through her head. It took a couple of minutes before she could place where she was and then she relaxed as she felt Joey's arms around her waist, his hand touching her skin under her top and his body pressed up against hers. Although she tried to stop thinking about it more images from the previous night came back to her and with a startling clarity she remembered what it was that led to the bruises that now marred her face. She pushed back into Joey's body, feeling his hand brush over her skin as his arms tightened around her and she felt her face flush with embarrassment. It had taken just one word from her lips to cause the violence that was inflicted on her. The wrong name being called out at an inopportune moment the reason for so much pain. She felt so silly for making that one mistake... because there was nothing about last night which had reminded her of the times with Joey. Everything, in fact, had been the complete reverse. It had all felt wrong and she'd just wanted it to be over... so she'd closed her eyes and tried to imagine it was Joey she was with and it seemed she'd got a little carried away with her thoughts because before she could stop herself she was crying out his name as she reached her peak (which had much more to do with what she was thinking about than anything to do with what this unknown guy was doing) and it had pissed him off... which she could kind of understand. After all it must be a bit of a blow to the ego if the girl you're fucking calls out someone else's name when she comes.

The whole night came back to her at that point and she began to cry as she relived the blows he'd made to her face. After about three hits she didn't remember anything else until she woke up so she was sure she'd fallen unconscious. Joey's arms tightened around her and he kissed the back of her head.

"It's okay, babe..." he breathed into her hair. "Everything's going to be okay, now. I promise."

TBC

A/N: So what did you think? Let me know.

COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIN SITE NEAR YOU... NO STRINGS ATTACHED...